Demand Freedom for Jimmy Lai — An Indomitable Dissident Against Beijing

Newspaper publisher Jimmy Lai, widely recognized as China’s most prominent political prisoner, is currently facing critical challenges in a Hong Kong courtroom.

It is crucial for Americans to join the global movement advocating for his urgent release.

Lai, at 77 years old, is a British citizen who previously operated Hong Kong’s fiercest pro-democracy newspaper — until his imprisonment in 2020 for his unwavering support of freedom.

He has endured over 1,500 days of captivity, with the majority spent in solitary confinement.

A devoted Catholic, he has not been permitted to attend Mass for over two years.

Lai’s fight extends beyond being a committed newspaperman; he is also one of Hong Kong’s most successful business figures.

His remarkable journey from rags to riches reflects the territory’s ascent and the subsequent erosion of its freedoms.

Arriving in Hong Kong at the age of 12 without a penny to his name, Lai worked his way up from sleeping on the factory floor to becoming a factory owner.

In just two decades, he was running the largest sweater manufacturing facility in Hong Kong, delivering products to high-profile brands like The Limited.

Lai later established his own fast-fashion chain, Giordano, which inspired Japan’s Uniqlo.

Following the tragic Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989, he transitioned to media, convinced that a free press could accelerate the fall of the Chinese Communist Party.

His newspaper and magazine conglomerate quickly became the foremost independent Chinese-language media group globally, employing around 4,000 individuals in Hong Kong and newly democratized Taiwan.

Lai was unabashed in his criticism of Chinese leaders, famously calling out Premier Li Peng, dubbed the Butcher of Beijing for his involvement in the Tiananmen killings, as a “turtle egg” (meaning a bastard).

As a key financial backer of the Hong Kong democracy movement, Lai invested over $100 million into the fight for freedom.

His publication, Apple Daily, played a pivotal role in rallying demonstrators — sometimes drawing crowds of up to 2 million during the vibrant summer of 2019.

Lai embodies everything the Chinese Communists oppose: he possesses wealth to support the democracy movement, commands a voice through his media outlets, and upholds principles that he staunchly defends.

Despite having the option to escape by fleeing to one of his international residences, he remarked to a colleague urging him to leave that he would “rather be hanging from a lamppost” than provide the Communists with the satisfaction of claiming he fled.

His bravery is rooted in a childhood shaped by the terrors of Mao’s China.

During his mother’s absence in a labor camp, Lai witnessed mobs publicly humiliating her, forcing her to kneel on broken glass while wearing a dunce’s cap, accused of being an enemy of the state for marrying into affluence.

Lai escaped China during a famine that claimed the lives of approximately 45 million people.

Had he remained, he could very well have been among those fatalities.

His survival and eventual success instilled him with unyielding confidence.

He cannot be coerced or intimidated; neither incentives nor threats have managed to sway him.

President Donald Trump has committed to securing Lai’s freedom, while British Prime Minister Keir Starmer identified Lai’s release as a key priority.

This month, Lai’s son, Sebastien, delivered a letter to No. 10 Downing Street urging Starmer to expedite his father’s release — a father imprisoned for upholding British values such as free speech and the rule of law.

Releasing Lai would also serve China’s interests by reducing the strain on Hong Kong.

After all, retaining political prisoners tarnishes the image of a global financial hub.

China’s current economic downturn creates enough challenges without adding political strife to the equation.

Lai is an accomplished businessman with extensive connections in the United States.

Throughout his time as a growing sweater manufacturer, he often spent months in New York City, embracing the spirit of freedom that characterized his second home.

Years ago, he invested significantly in housing in inner-city Detroit, and his daughter now resides in New York.

Just two weeks ago, Lai completed 52 days of testimony in an extensive national-security trial that commenced in late 2023.

A guilty verdict seems unavoidable.

A lengthy sentence — a de facto life sentence given his age — is anticipated.

His current trial is significantly influenced by his interactions with officials during the first Trump administration, including Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and National Security Adviser John Bolton.

Lai has ardently advocated for freedom and warrants our support.

His spirit is resilient, yet his age is catching up with him and his health is declining.

It’s time to reunite him with his family.

Mark L. Clifford is the author of “The Troublemaker: How Jimmy Lai Became a Billionaire, Hong Kong’s Greatest Dissident, and China’s Most Feared Critic.”